Samuel Given to the Lord

²¹ The man Elkanah and all his house ^(A)went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. ²² But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord ^(B)and dwell there forever.” ^23 (C)Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; ^(D)only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. ²⁴ And when she had weaned him, ^(E)she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull,^[a] an ephah^[b] of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to ^(F)the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. ²⁵ Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. ²⁶ And she said, “Oh, my lord! ^(G)As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. ²⁷ For this child I prayed, ^(H)and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. ²⁸ Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”

^(I)And he worshiped the Lord there.

¹¹ Then Elkanah went home ^(A)to Ramah. ^(B)And the boy^[a] was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.